Centre has no funds for states: TRS leaders

In the recent past, delegations of TRS leaders had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers, the latest being Water Resources minister Uma Bharathi. The PM has already ignored the demand for Special Category Status to AP and TS, but has promised to “stand by development of the two States.”

“We don’t see any huge funding coming from the Centre for our projects. The Centre is facing a cash crunch. It is in no condition to help the states,” a senior TRS leader said.

Sources said Ms Bharathi promised to declare Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation project as “National project” soon, but was noncommittal on the Rs 500 crore sought by TS.

“She said that once Pranahita-Chevella is declared a national project, funds will flow automatically and cited an incident of a party leader who, when asked where he would get money to fund his election campaign, had said that once he gets the Assembly ticket, funds would flow automatically,” said a TRS MP who was part of the delegation.

“Water Resources department has a budget of Rs 2,500 crore. We sought Rs 900 crore for Pranahita-Chevella, Mission Kakatiya and other projects. It appears impossible that we get this money,” the MP said. According to TRS leaders, Centre is giving priority to cost effective schemes and issues like bifurcation of the High Court which is expected to be speeded up in the wake of appointment of new Chief Justice of India.